Mary Louise Girard (Padgett)

Monday, February 10, 2014 9:00 PM

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Mary Lou Girard, 87, of Marinette, Wis. passed away on February 9, 2014 with her family by her side, after a long battle with dementia. Mary Louise Padgett is the daughter of the late Frederick and Margaret (Quever) Padgett, and was born on September 12, 1926, in Menominee, Mich. She graduated from Menominee High School in 1944 and then worked at the Menominee County Health Department for a short time. She met the love of her life, George Girard and they were married on August 11, 1945. In the same year that Mary was born, her lifelong favorite song, Blue Skies, was written by Irving Berlin. Mary loved music and in her early days, she and her sisters sang Blue Skies and many other songs on the local radio station. They were known as The Padgett Sisters. She loved to play the piano and taught her four children how to play. She was also very crafty and made hundreds of beaded ornaments, crocheted and knitted, sewed many outfits for her children and grandchildren and Barbie doll clothes for her daughters. She loved to play cards with friends and family especially the games "31" and "99". She played golf, for fun. She had a good sense of humor and enjoyed playing practical jokes on her family. Mary was a sweet, kind hearted, and caring person, always putting others before herself. Although dementia took away her memories, she never forgot to say thank you. She will be sadly missed by her family and all who knew her. Mary is survived by her loving husband, George, of 68 1/2 years; one son, Ron Girard of Grayslake, Ill.; three daughters: Renee (Larry) Rabideau of Marinette, Donna (Mark) Urbaniak of Menominee, and Peggy (Toby) Behnke of Marinette; six grandchildren: Dean (Sarah) Jacques, Jaime (Joe) Meissner, Greg Delgoffe, Abby Delgoffe, Brian (Maureen) Gray, and Jeff (Shayla) Carlson; five step-grandchildren: Lynda (Terry) Rastall, Brian Rabideau, Adrianne, Alyssa, and Marcus Behnke; and five great-granddaughters: Julia, Jordan, Maddie, Meredith, and Emily; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; four sisters: Cecile Whitton, Leone Reno, Elizabeth Demeuse, Margaret Soults; and one brother, Frederick Padgett Jr. A private service will be held. Cadieu-Theilen Funeral Home is assisting the family. The Girard family extends a special thanks to the staff at the Luther Home, Section C and the Haven and to Heartland Hospice Care for their wonderful care during her end of life. And one last time for Mary... Blue Skies, smiling at me, nothing but blue skies, do I see. Blue Days, all of them gone, nothing but blue skies, from now on.